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CCC · Operating systemsCurated

FreeBSD: a free Unix for servers and networks

Summary

The historical talk presents FreeBSD as a free Unix system with a base system developed as a whole, the Ports Collection and a strong focus on networking. A coherently maintained base system can simplify operations and troubleshooting. Licence, development model and packaging shape a system as much as its kernel.

Ideas

  • FreeBSD develops the kernel and the basic userland together as one consistent base system.
  • The Ports Collection separates the operating system from additionally installed application software.
  • At BSD, clear documentation is as much part of the product as the source code.

Recommendations

  • Test FreeBSD in a virtual machine with a small network service.
  • Compare the handbook, release process and package maintenance with your preferred Linux distribution.

References

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